Despite being provided with a renewed will to guide us towards righteousness, we find ourselves traversing a treacherous path akin to the valley of death. This journey exposes us to the sorrow inherent in our sinful nature. However, Christ, in his solitary quest, has already treaded this very path on our behalf. He endured eternal punishment to appease the anger of the Father towards our transgressions. By delving into the depths of sin, he became the true advocate for sinners, transforming us from mere slaves into cherished friends.Salvation is the experience of this joy. True knowledge of salvation comes from desiring to see the glory of Christ or longing to witness Him in His glory. This knowledge is pleasing to our intellect and grows as we encounter Him through His word. It is through this growing knowledge that we deepen our understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is a gradual process that catches us unaware. It encompasses not only the physical act of dying, but also a state of mind that we cannot escape. It is a prison of pain and sorrow that constantly accompanies us in life. Although we may not like to contemplate our own mortality, we are reminded of death's presence through its daily effects. We inwardly groan, as it is part of our journey towards ultimate redemption. This perception of death as a state of mind is not solely derived from our own sorrows, but also from being part of a community of sinners constantly confronted with the consequences of sin and death. Thus, the more we acknowledge this state of mind within ourselves, the better we comprehend the reality of being among a community of dying sinners. Ignoring this eternal paradigm only leads to a hardening of our hearts. Our problem lies in our tendency to avoid acknowledging this state of mind. If we are truly transformed, we will mourn over our sinful and mortal state. The joy of experiencing the pleasure and glory of Christ cannot be separated from the sorrow we feel over our natural inclination towards sin. The two often intertwine, with sorrow sometimes overshadowing joy or being dulled by God's grace to allow for full and indescribable joy. In reality, we exist as dying sinners among others who share the same fate. We live in the context of eternity, standing before a holy and all-powerful God as sinners who experience various afflictions associated with death. Since we are corrupted in every aspect of our being, we are weak in our struggle against sin and death. As the saying goes, the soul that sins shall die.